What Happened After the Breakup
by AryaAliceLuna
Summary: So we know what Harry did right after he broke up with Ginny. He spoke with the minister. Ginny spoke with someone too. Someone not quite as important as the minister but her talk was more productive then Harry's. Some angst. Ginny/Harry


A/N: I do not own Harry Potter or Luna, J.K. Rowling does. I don't own Arya, Christopher Paolini has that honor. And Carroll has Alice.

_Ginny, you knew this was going to happen at one point, get a damn grip! You can do it. You lived 5 years without him. You don't need him! You had to know he would do this at some point. It's his stupid nobility! Get a grip. Don't you dare let those tears fall! This is no crying matter! You're boyfriend just broke up with you, so what? It happens every day to someone! Surely many of them thought he'd be 'The One' just as you did. No matter if he is the boy you have liked for 6 years now! You let him go! You, yourself said you knew this would happen in the end. In fact, you even went as to say that was the reason you liked him so much! Come on! Get your sorry arse up out of that seat and start walking! Just walk. Pack. I don't know, do something. Get your mind off the stupid boy!_

Ginny stood up and nearly toppled over. Her knees felt like jelly, strong jelly, but jelly nonetheless. She wondered briefly if the bones in he legs had suddenly been turned to cartilage in the time she had been sitting watching Dumbledore's funeral next to Harry - _Get your mind off the boy! _Oddly, the voice in her head sounded like Ginny's mother, Molly.

Ginny stumbled into the castle; passing the old birch tree she and Harry had spent many happy hours. She had to reprimand herself numerous times about where her thoughts were dwelling. She didn't give spare a glance at the Quidditch Field knowing where those thoughts would lead. She paid no attention to the Fat Lady when she asked where Harry was. She walked right up the staircase to her 5th year dormitory. Knowing she was already packed she paced. Back and forth, back and forth… Then Ginny opened up her trunk and made sure she had everything. Then she pulled out her clothes and folded them. Anything, anything to keep her thoughts off that damn boy!

_Is this really what it feels like when you have a real break-up? The strange hollowness inside? The deep desire to both snog and strangle the person at the same time? The hope and fear that you will see the person again? The pit in the stomach? The spinning of the head? The nauseating thought of having to deal with life alone, after just finding the person to spend all your days with? _

Hermione came in unannounced. "I thought you finished packing last night."

"I did. I was. I mean… I am packing again." Ginny very eloquent replied.

"But that was before Harry broke up with you." _Thank you Hermione for bringing up the one subject I most definitely do_ not_ want to breech. _

"Yeah… Just trying to keep myself occupied. You know?" Ginny said while carefully folding a pair of socks and placing them nicely on top of her History of Magic notes.

Hermione plopped herself on Ginny's bed gracelessly and stretched her legs out and started swinging them into the top of Ginny's trunk at the foot of the bed. "I see. So… You want to talk about it?" Her left foot had a bit too much force behind it and so the trunk lid came crashing down on Ginny's arms. "Sorry" Hermione muttered.

Ginny, however, barely noticed, she merely pulled her arms out of their crushed position and pushed the lid back upright. "Not really." She paused. Then she looked Hermione in the eye and spoke more freely. "I knew it was going to happen. I mean, with Voldemort running around, Harry wasn't going to sit around and do nothing. It was going to happen someday. It's just… Just… I love him, okay? I know 'Ginny, you are only 15! You don't know what love is, and all that crap.'" Ginny put air quotes up. "But I know I do. I look him in the eyes and I just… I love him. And you know what? You want to know what's sick? I only finally realized it as he broke up with me! As he said he didn't want me to die something clicked. I mean, it's not as if I hadn't dreamt of getting married and having kids when all this is over. I have felt love for him, but it wasn't until today that it finally clicked that: I love Harry Potter! I always have but just to know what could-of been. That hurts! It has been torn away and… What if he dies? I mean, with this whole top-secret Dumbledore mission, Harry could die couldn't he?" By this time, Ginny was weeping. She stood up and sat next to her friend.

Hermione had just sat there. She knew her friend needed someone to tell about the whole ordeal. When Ginny had started to sob, Hermione patted the place on the bed next to her and then held Ginny as she cried. Finally, when the tears had died down, Hermione asked, "Are you going to be okay?" When Ginny nodded, Hermione said, "When this is all over, there is still hope. You know. I know Harry didn't want to end it. He hated it just as much as you do. I know Harry just wants you to keep you safe." She held up a hand, stopping Ginny. "Now, I know it was stupid to do. All I am saying is was going through his mind. He tries to protect what matters most to him. I know it hurts you. But keep in mind that the moment Voldemort is gone, Harry is sure to come running back to you and begging you to take him back. He cares about you, understand that. But with all that he needs to do… I understand why he needed to break it off."

Ginny didn't even ask what it was that Harry needed to do. She knew Hermione would keep silent.

"You alright? Better?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. Thanks. You're a good friend." Ginny said.

Hermione looked at the clock on the wall. "It is almost time to leave. You want me to sit with you?"

"No, its all-right. Sit with your friends"

"You're my friend too, you know, Ginny."

"I know. But I'll be fine." Ginny smiled. Hermione didn't buy it. "Walk down with me then." She said.

Ginny was glad to find that when she stood up her legs no longer felt like jelly. She and Hermione put their arms around each other and walked down the stairs to the common room. "Oops!" Ginny said. "I forgot the trunk." She laughed as she climbed up the steps.

When she came down once more with the huge trunk, she got a big surprise. Harry was sitting on a couch in the common room, staring intently into the yellow flames of the fireplace. Hermione was sitting next to him, rubbing his back. Even though Ginny knew it was entirely platonic, she felt a surge of envy wash through her veins. Just the day before, Ginny was the one rubbing Harry's back. He didn't push Hermione away like he did Ginny. The more logical part of brain explained patiently that Hermione was of age and so Harry couldn't push her away as he could Ginny.

Ginny dragged the trunk halfway across the room before her limbs went weak with emotion. She dropped the trunk. The noise awoke Harry from his thoughts. He cast a quick look at her and the trunk. If they were still dating he would have helped her pull it to the portrait hole and then he would have taken a seat on the couch, dragging Ginny with him. Then he would wrap his arms around her waist and lean forward slightly and they would… Ginny shook her head, clearing it of those pesky dreams of hers. Harry stood up, took the trunk in his hands, and carried it the rest of the way to the horse-less carriages.

"You didn't have to do that. I would have managed."

"No… I wanted to though. Allow me one last act of chivalry."

Ginny had many witty comebacks and was about to use one, however she thought better of it. It seemed like flirting.

He put it in the back of one of the carriages. "Thanks." Ginny mumbled. Harry nodded as they began their trek back to the castle.

Ginny had hoped to sit with Luna, and perhaps Neville on the train ride home. But as fate would have it, they were sitting with the other three members of the 'Ministry Six'. She debated sitting with Dean and some other Griffindors but thought that she was strong enough to handle a few more hours with her ex. Also, who knows when would be the next time she saw him.

As she came in everyone looked up. Harry started to stand but Ginny told him to stay. She spent much of the time staring out the window watching the trees flash by. It was too painful to do much else. Sometimes, however, when Ron made an idiot of himself they laughed together.

Harry was beaten by Ron at chess again. So, then, Ginny choose to challenge her brother. Harry teased, saying that she would show Ron whose boss. The little things like that showed that they would be okay with time. They may not regain the strong friendship the once had, they had too many romantic memories. But that they could be friends until Voldemort was killed. Then, once all was said and done, they could try for a relationship again. But for now they were friends and that was good enough for both.

When the train stopped in London all six left and said their farewells. "Come on, you ruddy boy!" Harry's uncle yelled. Harry turned and went to follow, but then he turned around and gave Ginny a brief hug. Just as long as any of her brothers had given her, just as tight as her mother had given her, but this hug gave Ginny the hope that maybe Hermione was right. 'I love you' this hug said.


End file.
